User Tools

Site Tools

REPORT OF A CASE OF YELLOW-FEVER.

BY J. L. WADE, M. D., NEW YORK.

Mr, S. W. H., aet 35, arrived in this city from Charleston, S. C, by Rail Road, at four o'clock on the morning of Tuesday the 14th of September. He left Charleston on Saturday morning for home-had felt rather indisposed for some days before leaving-during the journey his fever was very high -severe headache and a very intense thirst-he says, there seemed such a burning, scorching heat-his leaving as he did, undoubtedly modified the disease and rendered the attack more manageable-the atmosphere here was free from the poison, and instead of adding to the already kindled fire, it acted as a powerful disenfectant. However, the case is a plain one, and if he had remained in the infected region it might have been serious-the tendency to hemorrhage being very strong. I found him at nine o'clock A.M., with a high fever-pulse 125-complaining some of headache-great thirst-an inordinate desire for water, but owing to its producing nausea, restrained from its too free use,-tongue coated white-edges slightly rod-some pain and uneasiness in bowels-had suffered with pain in the back-all the general symptoms of a billions remittent fever,-his eyes were clear -had vomited some gruel which had been given him to drink soon after his arrival. I prescribed Acon.3 in solution, 1 teaspoonful every hour.

Sept. 14th, four o'clock in the afternoon-pulse 110-other symptoms about the same-has had two evacuations from his bowels of blood and slime; I did not see them, they having been thrown out-he complained of a general feeling of weakness; I left him Bell.3 to be used in alternation with the Acon.3 every 2 hours.

Sept. 15th, 9 A. M.-Has had during the night fifteen passages from the bowels, of blood non-coagulating: bright, but thin-very weak-pulse 85-no pain-not as much thirst -slept about two hours-there was some obscurity of intellect-a yellowish tinge of the conjunctiva-tongue white-gave Ipec. 3 and Hamamelis 3 every 2 hours in alternation.

9 o'clock-Pulse 90-four evacuations since last visit (two o'clock), thin, not coagulating-urine scanty-great thirst-a feeling of uneasiness in stomach and bowels-tongue coated white; when rinsing the mouth with water, it became tinged with blood-conjunctiva yellow-skin assuming a bronze hue -breath very offensive-general restlessness and feeling of prostration-gave Ars.3 and Lach.6 every 2 hours.

Sept. 16th, 8 o'clock A. M-Bowels moved four times during the night-slept from two until seven-had two evacuations since daylight-not as much thirst-mouth dry with very offensive taste-coating on tongue white-thick in the centre-urine dark reddish yellow and scanty-some pain in bowels-pulse 80-same remedies.

1 o'clock P. M.-Pulse 80, short and quick-restless-no passage from bowels since last visit-urine dark and very scanty-thirst-expectorates by hawking from the throat, a bloody slime-gave Ars.30 and Lach.5 in alternation every 2 hours.

8 o'clock P. M.-Pulse 80-two passages since one o'clock, very offensive, dark color-restless-other symptoms same- gave 1 dose of Coff.3, and continued the Ars.30 and Lach.5

Sept. 17th, 8 o'clock A. M.-Two evacuations during the night, of blood-not as much thirst-urine more free-some nausea-had rather a restless night-pulse 85-mouth and breath very offensive, of a putrid odor-some oozing of blood from the gums-great debility-gave Rhus Tox.3 every 2 hours.

On calling again two days after I found him firstrate, every function of the body acting in order-tongue clean and healthy, bowels regular-sleeping well and gaining strength rapidly. Many symptoms of this case were very unpleasant, and serious results were threatened, but homoeopathy shows itself equal to all emergencies and the law of similia is eternal as truth.

As this case yielded so readily to homoeopathic treatment, some might say it was not yellow fever, but Dr. Rockwell called to see the case and unhesitatingly said that if he had remained in Charleston, he would have died of yellow fever. He reported the case as a mild attack: if the patient had died then I suppose it would have been a genuine case-this is the testimony of Dr. Holcombe of La. Homoeopathic Physicians always have mild cases of disease to treat-how favored those families must be, who employ homoeopathic practitioners, not being liable to serious disease-an argument in favor of the system.

This case was well marked, and the beauty of the result is only one of the many glorious results of the Hahnemann law of cure, “similia similibus curantur.”